bread-and-butter

1 of 2

adjective

bread-and-but·​ter ˈbred-ən(d)-ˈbə-tər 

1

a

: being as basic as the earning of one's livelihood

bread-and-butter issues

b(1)

: reliable

our bread-and-butter repertoire

(2)

: dependable as a source of income

a company's bread-and-butter products

2

: sent or given as thanks for hospitality

a bread-and-butter letter

bread and butter

2 of 2

noun

: a means of sustenance or livelihood

Examples of bread-and-butter in a Sentence

Noun

Casual clothing has always been the company's bread and butter.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Of bigger concern was their success against Harrison’s bread-and-butter four-seam fastball. —Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2024

This could impact Intel’s bread-and-butter CPU business. —Trefis Team, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024

Noun

Ruffle Maxi Dress Low-lift outfits are the bread and butter of a successful transitional wardrobe, and this ruffle maxi dress requires zero accessorizing. —Ali Faccenda, Peoplemag, 10 Aug. 2024

Choi then recommends adding something pickled to even out the creaminess, whether that be pickled onions, cabbage, or even bread and butter pickles. —Claire Hoppe, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1770, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

bread-and-butter

adjective

ˌbred-ᵊn-ˈbət-ər

1

a

: concerned with or being as basic as earning a living

bread-and-butter economic issues

b

: dependable

bread-and-butter products that always sell

2

: sent or given as thanks for hospitality

a bread-and-butter note